Unattended mental and emotional wellness can be costly to today’s workplace. According to statistics reported on the King County Behavioral Health and Recovery Department Web site, mental health conditions are the second leading cause of workplace absenteeism — which the World Health Organization estimates costs U.S. workplaces $300 billion annually.

So, whether we like it or not, the workplace is often a critical incubator for stress, anxiety and other behavioral health issues. Despite a progressive mindset around workplace wellness, employers today can do more to foster an environment that recognizes and acts upon emerging behavioral health issues.